I was very interested to see what the new weather center was like from the Weather Channel. I'm a total weather geek but have really discounted the weather channel as they seemed to you sub-standard technology and meteorologists. This all looks to be a step in the right direction.
I did find a couple of interesting things about their virtual tour that I didn't really like. There were several times where they claimed to have made an improvement to make the studio more earth friendly. These statements were overly vague. For instance; "a portion of the materials came from less than 500 miles away." That means basically nothing. One ounce of 200 tons is "a portion." I also found it funny that they made a big deal of telling us they used 170 square feet for recycling bins... and then didn't show where they were on the diagram.
Obviously I still hold some skepticism towards The Weather Channel but they are growing on me a bit. I'll check them out in HD and see if they can sway me any further.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
NYFA Virtual Tour
Unfortunately, the link provided for the virtual tour redirects me to the pages' home. I attempted to use Google Cache and The Way Back machine but no luck with those either. I looked at several other aspects of the site and it does appear to be a quality place to attend if someone is looking to go into film making. I also like the fact that they have locations all over the world, not just the US. This can ensure a full exposure to making movies in all kinds of locations and locales.
Stages of Emily
I watched the film called Stages of Emily.
It was about a woman who was facing her marriage as if it was the death of her single self. During this film she went through all of the stages of grief and you really began to feel the strain on her as if she were actually dying.
All of that being said, I really wish I had watched something else. There was some foul language, and while it wasn't much, didn't enhance the story at all. So why even have it in there?
Her friends, family and religious leader were basically worthless in helping her cope with these feelings. I would like to think that at least one of those would actually help you out.
I really have to question YouTube's decision to make this a featured film in their screening room. While slightly creative, its nothing we haven't seen before and was very far from anything innovative.
It was about a woman who was facing her marriage as if it was the death of her single self. During this film she went through all of the stages of grief and you really began to feel the strain on her as if she were actually dying.
All of that being said, I really wish I had watched something else. There was some foul language, and while it wasn't much, didn't enhance the story at all. So why even have it in there?
Her friends, family and religious leader were basically worthless in helping her cope with these feelings. I would like to think that at least one of those would actually help you out.
I really have to question YouTube's decision to make this a featured film in their screening room. While slightly creative, its nothing we haven't seen before and was very far from anything innovative.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
NYT's New Digs
Overall the building is quite nice, However I do have a couple of gripes and a couple of things that really stood out to me.
I love how open the newsroom area is even between floors. It truly gives a team feeling as well as easy method for quick communication as it appears that cube walls are only about 5 feet high. We have actually started to implement a similar layout where I work and many people have really embraced the change.
The view from the mast is amazing. It truly holds that quintessential New York Skyline.
I'm still trying to figure out what the small rectangles are that line the walls of the 8th street entrance to the building. Are they small TV screens?
The views out from the newsroom and cafeteria do not really do much for me for some reason. I think the horizontal bars make it feel a bit like a correctional facility.
That being said, I think the new building truly fosters a team environment and a comfortable place to work.
I love how open the newsroom area is even between floors. It truly gives a team feeling as well as easy method for quick communication as it appears that cube walls are only about 5 feet high. We have actually started to implement a similar layout where I work and many people have really embraced the change.
The view from the mast is amazing. It truly holds that quintessential New York Skyline.
I'm still trying to figure out what the small rectangles are that line the walls of the 8th street entrance to the building. Are they small TV screens?
The views out from the newsroom and cafeteria do not really do much for me for some reason. I think the horizontal bars make it feel a bit like a correctional facility.
That being said, I think the new building truly fosters a team environment and a comfortable place to work.
Glory to Gutenberg
The Gutenberg Bible website from the University of Texas was an excellent read. What an honor it must be to hold such an amazing piece of history. Not only was this the first book printed with movable type was also quite possibly the salvation of the Bible in general.
Movable type brought education and the Lord to the masses. Its just so amazing.
I love that they have also gone ahead and digitized the Gutenberg Bible. This was a great idea for several reasons. First, we can safely get a copy of the text before the materials deteriorate. Second, it allow for even more people the privilege of seeing the Gutenberg Bible without having to travel. Third, and possibly most importantly, it ensures that the content will not be lost in the event the Bible is destroyed by a disaster.
Where would we be without the invention of movable type? I'd hate to even think about it but we would be no where near where we are today.
This is one of those inventions that truly changed the world.
Movable type brought education and the Lord to the masses. Its just so amazing.
I love that they have also gone ahead and digitized the Gutenberg Bible. This was a great idea for several reasons. First, we can safely get a copy of the text before the materials deteriorate. Second, it allow for even more people the privilege of seeing the Gutenberg Bible without having to travel. Third, and possibly most importantly, it ensures that the content will not be lost in the event the Bible is destroyed by a disaster.
Where would we be without the invention of movable type? I'd hate to even think about it but we would be no where near where we are today.
This is one of those inventions that truly changed the world.
State of the Media
First of all, I loved the listing of subjects covered by percentage. Just excellent information.
I was also particularly impressed with the Media Ownership Dashboard. I was completely unaware that Cox Enterprises owned so much of the radio market and is a head above their nearest competitor.
This website has an unbelievable amount of information covering all aspects of media. They even have Nielsen analysis. This has been added to my bookmarks and will be visited by me at least every quarter after all I am a total information geek.
The Major Trends page was also very interesting. Where you would think technology and new media are leaving old media in the dust. They have actually found that technology actually benefits old media more than new media. When you also take into account that they found most new media outlets are limited in their ability to produce content. Very interesting and a limitation of new media that I hadn't thought about.
I was also particularly impressed with the Media Ownership Dashboard. I was completely unaware that Cox Enterprises owned so much of the radio market and is a head above their nearest competitor.
This website has an unbelievable amount of information covering all aspects of media. They even have Nielsen analysis. This has been added to my bookmarks and will be visited by me at least every quarter after all I am a total information geek.
The Major Trends page was also very interesting. Where you would think technology and new media are leaving old media in the dust. They have actually found that technology actually benefits old media more than new media. When you also take into account that they found most new media outlets are limited in their ability to produce content. Very interesting and a limitation of new media that I hadn't thought about.
The ethics of a business can be summarized in (cough)
After going through the class I found a couple of interesting case studies.
The first was under Privacy and was entitled, "Naming a Rape Victim." In this case study a child abducted while walking home. The news media covered this story heavily and released the name and photo of the victim. Two days later, the girl was able to escape her captor and was reunited with her family. Again the news media covered this story heavily as well. Two days after this, the abductor was found and charged with sexual assault.
The debate in this issue comes from the fact that the victims name and photo was released to the public.
I know it is a general rule that when a rape victim comes forward, you are not to release their name but, I feel, this instance is different. How many times does a child get kidnapped in Kansas and the Amber Alert system is activated? This system shows the name and picture of the victim. If, days later, the child is found to be a rape victim, their image and name have been all over the news.
Its a matter of balancing privacy with effectiveness in finding the child at all. If we withhold the information and the child is never found, in my opinion, we have lost more. If the child is found but the world knows they were sexually assaulted, I think that is less of an issue. At least the child was rescued from a terrible situation.
Another excellent section covered the Source/Reporter Relationship. I had often wondered exactly how media outlets could get away with using antonymous sources. I now see that it truly puts the reputation of the media outlet at risk.
The case study I liked in this section was about Ricky Williams. It details the media feeding frenzy that ensued after "sources" revealed that Williams had violated the NFL's substance abuse policy for a fourth time. Several media outlets jumped on the story, none of them revealing any sources. This story circled the entire US completely unattributed. Even a managing editor from the Sun-Sentinel stated "Looking back, I'm not sure we needed the column. It feels way too speculative." Obviously she feels that publishing this story was a mistake. I tend to agree. If a source is not willing to put their name on the line, where is their skin in the game? I could tell you that my place of work lost $500 million dollars yesterday but if I want my name to remain private, whats to stop me from making it all up? (By the way they didn't lose $500 million).
I feel that if a source isn't willing to put their name on the line then their information isn't news.
The first was under Privacy and was entitled, "Naming a Rape Victim." In this case study a child abducted while walking home. The news media covered this story heavily and released the name and photo of the victim. Two days later, the girl was able to escape her captor and was reunited with her family. Again the news media covered this story heavily as well. Two days after this, the abductor was found and charged with sexual assault.
The debate in this issue comes from the fact that the victims name and photo was released to the public.
I know it is a general rule that when a rape victim comes forward, you are not to release their name but, I feel, this instance is different. How many times does a child get kidnapped in Kansas and the Amber Alert system is activated? This system shows the name and picture of the victim. If, days later, the child is found to be a rape victim, their image and name have been all over the news.
Its a matter of balancing privacy with effectiveness in finding the child at all. If we withhold the information and the child is never found, in my opinion, we have lost more. If the child is found but the world knows they were sexually assaulted, I think that is less of an issue. At least the child was rescued from a terrible situation.
Another excellent section covered the Source/Reporter Relationship. I had often wondered exactly how media outlets could get away with using antonymous sources. I now see that it truly puts the reputation of the media outlet at risk.
The case study I liked in this section was about Ricky Williams. It details the media feeding frenzy that ensued after "sources" revealed that Williams had violated the NFL's substance abuse policy for a fourth time. Several media outlets jumped on the story, none of them revealing any sources. This story circled the entire US completely unattributed. Even a managing editor from the Sun-Sentinel stated "Looking back, I'm not sure we needed the column. It feels way too speculative." Obviously she feels that publishing this story was a mistake. I tend to agree. If a source is not willing to put their name on the line, where is their skin in the game? I could tell you that my place of work lost $500 million dollars yesterday but if I want my name to remain private, whats to stop me from making it all up? (By the way they didn't lose $500 million).
I feel that if a source isn't willing to put their name on the line then their information isn't news.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Safe Surfing
Online safety is nothing to be taken lightly. I have frequently had people contact me, not knowing me at all and giving me way too much information.
Being an IT professional, I see all kinds of issues with internet safety.
There are countless internet safety games out there by one of my favorites is NetSmartz Kids. They offer an extensive number of games, tips and tricks for kids and parents alike.
A more adult test is the SonicWall Phishing IQ Test. This test is very difficult. Even seasoned IT professionals will miss at least one or two.
I did play the AT&T game and for the most part, I thought it was an acceptable method for teaching online safety.
Then I came across the following question:
Really? One of the few things I really know about children is that they are hesitant to admit that they are afraid or scared. Knowing this, why would you include an option like "Nothing, I'm never scared"?
I would be willing to wager that most kids get this one wrong on the first try.
We have to remember that we are not only teaching children about the dangers online but also the correct method of handling these situations.
Being an IT professional, I see all kinds of issues with internet safety.
There are countless internet safety games out there by one of my favorites is NetSmartz Kids. They offer an extensive number of games, tips and tricks for kids and parents alike.
A more adult test is the SonicWall Phishing IQ Test. This test is very difficult. Even seasoned IT professionals will miss at least one or two.
I did play the AT&T game and for the most part, I thought it was an acceptable method for teaching online safety.
Then I came across the following question:
Really? One of the few things I really know about children is that they are hesitant to admit that they are afraid or scared. Knowing this, why would you include an option like "Nothing, I'm never scared"?
I would be willing to wager that most kids get this one wrong on the first try.
We have to remember that we are not only teaching children about the dangers online but also the correct method of handling these situations.
Bringing Censorship to the Masses
Let me just start this off with one of my favorite commentaries on censorship from the FCC. Warning... this may be slightly NSFW.
Now that we have that bit out of the way, on to my actual opinion. While I do believe there is some truth to the commentary from Family Guy, for the most part I'm ok with an acceptable level of censorship.
I believe that there is a time and a place for crude language, situations, etc. but that it's only acceptable if it truly enhances the story. I feel an excellent example of this is the classic book To Kill a Mockingbird. There is a significant amount of racism depicted in the book. However, it enhances the story. In this instance the racism is used to depict the issues that a society has and how they can be overcome when someone will stand up for whats right.
I have a friend who is teaching from this book in her English class for high school juniors. She did everything by the book and notified the student of the racism ahead of time and explained the use of this racism similar to how I did above. While most of her students used intelligent, critical thinking about the issue, there were a few who simply refused to read it based on principal.
I'm not saying those people are wrong, I'm just saying that I believe that is how censorship should be handled. Everything should be presented upfront and once the consumer is of age or maturity to decided for themselves, they should be allowed to.
Knowing that I'd like to say that I feel completely different about Apple censoring Apps in their App Store. My issue is not a matter of morality but of Apple's attitude and advertising of their App Store. Apple likes to market their iPhone and App Store using terms "open" and "freedom" and "magical." First of all... Magical... yeah right. But under what definition of open or freedom is the inclusion of censorship? I believe this model will ultimately be the demise of Apple. Their attitude of being better than everyone else is just waiting to back fire... and this is coming from a former Apple user.
Now that we have that bit out of the way, on to my actual opinion. While I do believe there is some truth to the commentary from Family Guy, for the most part I'm ok with an acceptable level of censorship.
I believe that there is a time and a place for crude language, situations, etc. but that it's only acceptable if it truly enhances the story. I feel an excellent example of this is the classic book To Kill a Mockingbird. There is a significant amount of racism depicted in the book. However, it enhances the story. In this instance the racism is used to depict the issues that a society has and how they can be overcome when someone will stand up for whats right.
I have a friend who is teaching from this book in her English class for high school juniors. She did everything by the book and notified the student of the racism ahead of time and explained the use of this racism similar to how I did above. While most of her students used intelligent, critical thinking about the issue, there were a few who simply refused to read it based on principal.
I'm not saying those people are wrong, I'm just saying that I believe that is how censorship should be handled. Everything should be presented upfront and once the consumer is of age or maturity to decided for themselves, they should be allowed to.
Knowing that I'd like to say that I feel completely different about Apple censoring Apps in their App Store. My issue is not a matter of morality but of Apple's attitude and advertising of their App Store. Apple likes to market their iPhone and App Store using terms "open" and "freedom" and "magical." First of all... Magical... yeah right. But under what definition of open or freedom is the inclusion of censorship? I believe this model will ultimately be the demise of Apple. Their attitude of being better than everyone else is just waiting to back fire... and this is coming from a former Apple user.
Green with envy
I have been familiar with Drew Carey's Green Screen show for quite some time. While I don't believe it to be as good as the old standard Whose Line is it Anyway? the show is still quite innovative and creative.
A green screen system works by method of color replacement. A computer is connected to a camera and is given a specific color that is intended to be replaced by a video overlay. The background color to be replaces is not restricted only to green. Virtually any color is available for replacement. There is one fairly large caveat to green screening... Your video personalities can not be wearing the color to be replaced or they will end up wearing part of the replaced image. An example of this phenomenon can be found here. (Note the weather man's tie is changing with the background)
This is actually my favorite use of green screen. I have been a total weather nerd since the summer of 2003 when I basically had to live in the hospital for a summer. When you don't really get to go outside too often, the weather becomes your window to the world.
In recent history, green screen capability has been released to the public at a consumer level. No longer are expensive all-green rooms and high-powered computers needed to obtain this media altering technology.
A green screen system works by method of color replacement. A computer is connected to a camera and is given a specific color that is intended to be replaced by a video overlay. The background color to be replaces is not restricted only to green. Virtually any color is available for replacement. There is one fairly large caveat to green screening... Your video personalities can not be wearing the color to be replaced or they will end up wearing part of the replaced image. An example of this phenomenon can be found here. (Note the weather man's tie is changing with the background)
This is actually my favorite use of green screen. I have been a total weather nerd since the summer of 2003 when I basically had to live in the hospital for a summer. When you don't really get to go outside too often, the weather becomes your window to the world.
In recent history, green screen capability has been released to the public at a consumer level. No longer are expensive all-green rooms and high-powered computers needed to obtain this media altering technology.
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